NFL Draft Profile: Dorian Williams, Linebacker, Tulane Green Wave
Dorian Williams
Tulane Green Wave
#2
Pos: LB
Ht: 6006
Wt: 228
Hand: 1028
Arm: 3368
Wing: 8068
40: 4.49
DOB: 6/28/2001
Hometown: Indian Land, SC
High School: Indian Land
Eligibility: 2023
One Liner:
Williams is a leader for Tulane’s defense who combines his high motor with a good closing burst, but he struggles to shed blocks and hasn’t mastered how to handle assignments in man coverage.
Evaluation:
Williams plays weakside linebacker for Tulane, but he has some experience filling other roles. Tulane will occasionally line Williams up along the line of scrimmage in a 7-tech role on third and long situations. He’s an experienced special teams player with roughly 700 snaps under his belt split between the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units. Williams has good arm length and a massive wingspan that will turn heads in the pre-draft process. The South Carolina native has cut down on missed tackles this season. He displays a quick downhill trigger with a good closing burst. That burst also helps him make plays as a backside run defender. Williams’ eyes see clearly into the backfield and help him track down the running back. He’s a high-effort pursuit player who uses his length to expand his tackle radius. Williams has active hands in pass defense, which he uses to disrupt passing lanes. He lacks sideline-to-sideline range but has sufficient speed and range to shut down outside runs to the near sideline. Williams gains sufficient depth in his coverage drops and shows flashes of carrying tight ends downfield and disrupting wheel routes. However, he’s most at home in coverage when covering the flat. Williams will fit best in a zone-heavy scheme at the next level. He lacks the agility to consistently handle man coverage assignments. The former three-star recruit hasn’t spent significant time in the slot. He displays some tightness in his high hips, and his footwork and transitions appear labored. Williams’ acceleration, change of direction skills, and linear speed are uninspiring. He still possesses the lean arms and lower half of a safety, which prevents him from generating much pop or power at the point of attack. His desire to come downhill makes him surrender angles against the run. Williams struggles to disengage from the power of climbing linemen and tight ends. He was finished to the ground several times against Houston (2022). His hand placement and strength when trying to shed blocks are insufficient. Williams’ footwork is hoppy instead of fluid.
Grade:
6th Round
Quotes:
“Dorian has never not had a smile on his face. He always makes me smile because he’s having a good time out there. You love to coach guys that love to play the game because they are playing for the right reason and not anything external.” -- Tulane Linebackers Coach Michael Mutz on LB Dorian Williams
Background:
Williams was a three-star safety recruit from Indian Land High School in Indian Land, S.C., in the class of 2019. He was the No. 2,394 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 2,231 for On3.com. Williams was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals. He did not receive a star ranking or grade from ESPN. As a high school senior, Williams produced 97 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, multiple interceptions, and two fumble recoveries. He helped Indian Land reach the South Carolina AAA State Playoffs. Williams committed to Tulane over Coastal Carolina and Troy. He has an older brother and two older sisters. Williams led the American Athletic Conference in tackles in 2020 and received Second-Team American Athletic Conference honors.
